Insurgent group calls local military officials ‘liars and serial killers’

The Negros chapter of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDF), the political wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA), recently released a statement urging unity in their call to “oppose and overthrow a dictator, fascist, corrupt, butcher, and tyrant,” referring to President Rodrigo Duterte.
“The dictator and fascist reign of the Duterte regime is more brutal compared to the past Marcos dictatorship,” the group noted in a statement signed by NDF-Negros spokesperson Ka Bayani Obrero. “Duterte’s hands are bloody in his ‘all-out war’ declaration against revolutionaries.
They also claimed terrorism is being propagated by the government.
“Terrorism spread by the state has not gained any victory,” they stated. “Instead, it earned the wrath of the people because of injustices.”
The group characterized Negros as “Duterte’s laboratory for his counter-insurgency campaign” and accused the administration of “widespread human rights violations, extrajudicial killings, illegal arrests of innocent civilians, trumped-up charges, planting of fake evidences (sic), forcing people to surrender as rebels, [and] spreading of fake news.”
They also claimed law enforcement and the military raise claims of resisting arrest as a “cover up” to their alleged crimes.
NDF-Negros called out military officials, Philippine Army 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, Brigadier General Benedict Arevalo, and former 302nd Infantry Brigade deputy commander, Colonel Noel Baluyan, calling them “big liars and serial killers.”
Meanwhile, they heaped praises on former NDF spokesperson Frank Fernandez and his wife, Cleofe Lagtapon, who are currently detained at the Philippine Army General Hospital in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.
The group claimed to speak on behalf of the Negrense public by stating, “Comrade Frank Fernandez, the people in Negros salute your courage and firm standpoint.”
Earlier this year, Arevalo paid a visit to the couple and expressed contentment with seeing Fernandez in person and under military custody.
“I just came here to see you and let the people of Negros know that the Army is treating you well,” Arevalo said to the NDF official.
Fernandez and Lagtapon were initially confined to a private hospital in Alabang, Metro Manila for medical treatment but were later transferred to the Army General Hospital due to security reasons.
“If this is how the Army and the government treat NPA leaders, like Frank Fernandez and Cleofe Lagtapon, how much more regular NPAs who are only being fooled and used by their leaders and political officers?” Arevalo asked. “I, now, urge them to surrender now and live normal lives again.”/WDJ